INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — On Aug. 15, Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman honored 55 farmers with the coveted River Friendly Farmer conservation award for helping to preserve Indiana’s natural resources for future farming generations during a special ceremony at the Indiana State Fair.

“We have an impressive group of recipients this year” said Ray McCormick, president of Indiana Assoc. of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD). “The conservation practices these farmers use improve soil health on their farms not just for themselves but for future generations.”

The 2012 River Friendly Farmer recipients represent grain, livestock and poultry producers from watersheds in 40 Indiana counties. They join a group of 600 winners since the award was first given in 2000 to Hoosier farmers who utilize exceptional conservation practices to improve soil health and protect water quality.

“Our River Friendly Farmer winners know soil is a complex living ecosystem and we all have an obligation to sustain and improve it. That’s what they are doing to conserve our natural resources every day,” added McCormick.

Recipients were honored by Lt. Gov. Skillman and Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock. Also on hand for the ceremony was USDA-NRCS State Conservationist Jane Hardisty and President Abraham Lincoln (played by Wilbur Tague of Brownsburg, Ind.) who helped celebrate the USDA’s 150th anniversary.

Winners include: Adams County, Michael G. Werling; Clay County, Joe Edwards, Tim Stearley; Clinton County, Clint Orr; Daviess County, Randall Byrer; Dearborn County, John Seubert; Decatur County, Fred Fry; DeKalb County, Douglas and Corinne Houser; Dubois County, Norbert Begle, Stan Leinenbach; Elkhart County, Keith E. Miller, Mike Neff; Fayette County, Steve Wollyung; Franklin County, Lance Cox, Calvin Finch; Gibson County, Jeff, Joe, Mark, Rick and Stan Ziliak; Hendricks County, Charles Brown, Jack Maloney; Howard County, Richard Byrum, Stephen Byrum; Huntington County, Tom Reed; Jay County, Barry Fennig, Stephen Fennig; Knox County, Scott Hagemeier; Kosciusko County, Randy Beer, Darrel Byrer; LaGrange County, Andy Green; Miami County, Ronnie, Maxine, Clint, Beth, Ethan and Brady Manning; Newton County, Sigmund Boezeman, Douglas Gerbracht; Noble County, Steve Phares; Owen County, Steve Worland; Pike County, Kevin and Kenny Mundy; Posey County, Robert Fehrenbacher; Pulaski County, Dale Gudeman; Putnam County, Ron Alcorn, Byron Gough; Scott County, Marvin Rode; Spencer County, Chad Goldman; St. Joseph County, Bill Lappin, Dale and Dorothy Stoner; Starke County, Bob Coffin, Wayne Emigh; Tippecanoe County, Brian Buck; Vanderburgh County, Steve Jackson; Vermillion County, Robert Ellis; Wabash County, Clif and Randy Airgood, Airgood Farms; Warren County, Mark and Carolyn Straw; Washington County, David Hoar, Jerry Trueblood; Wells County, Alan Schwartz, Alan Stout (deceased); White County, Steve Carlson; Whitley County, Gary Hoffman and Peter Rouch.

The awards presented on behalf of the Indiana Assoc. of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and its 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts is a joint venture with Indiana Farm Bureau and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture’s Division of Soil Conservation.

For more information on the 2012 River Friendly Farmers, visit www.iasw

cd.org